Work temporarily in Canada

If you are a foreign national and you want to work in Canada, you will likely require a work permit. There are certain jobs that do not require work permit. For other types of work an authorization or work permit is required.

There are different types of work permits. Each type has its own requirements and application procedure. Here are the basic requirements of common types of work permits in Canada:

On-campus Work For International Students

▣ Must be a full-time student at an approved public or private post-secondary institution
▣ Must have a valid Canadian study permit
▣ Work permit is NOT required in order to work at the school (on-campus work)
▣ There is no limit on the number hours you can work in a week

Off-campus Work Permit For International Students

▣ Must be a student at participating public or private post-secondary institutions in Canada
▣ Must be a full-time student for at least six of the 12 months before applying for off-campus work
▣ Must have a valid Canadian study permit
▣ Work permit is required
▣ May work maximum of 20 hours per week during the regular academic year and full-time during scheduled breaks (Summer, Winter)

Co-op or Internship Work Permit For International Students

▣ Must have a valid Canadian study permit
▣ The work must be an essential part of your program of study in Canada
▣ Work permit is required
▣ Co-op or internship work permit is issued free of charge
▣ You can have both co-op or internship work permit and off-campus work permit at the same time

Open Work Permit For Spouse / Common-law Partner Of International Students

▣ The international student must be full-time
▣ The international student must have a valid Canadian study permit
▣ Spouse / partner can work on- or off-campus. There is no limit on the number of hours the spouse / partner can work in a week
▣ Work permit is required
▣ Spouse / partner can apply for open work permit from inside or outside Canada

Post-Graduation Open Work Permit For International Students

▣ Must have studied in a full-time program in an approved school in Canada
▣ Must have completed a program of study that lasted at least eight months
▣ Must have a valid study permit when you apply for post-graduation open work permit
▣ There is no limit on the number of hours to work in a week on a post-graduation work permit
▣ Work permit is required
▣ Must apply within 90 days of the date you complete your academic program in Canada

Temporary Work Permit

▣ Must have a job offer from a Canadian employer
▣ Employer may need to get a labour market opinion (LMO) to hire you
▣ Some occupations do not require labour market opinion (LMO)
▣ Work permit is required
▣ May apply for work permit from inside or outside Canada if you meet certain conditions

Open Work Permit For Spouse / Common-law Partner Of Temporary Work Permit Holder

▣ Temporary worker has a work permit which is valid for six months or longer
▣ Temporary worker has a skilled job (Skill Level 0, A or B in the National Occupational Classification)
▣ Work permit is required
▣ Spouse / partner can apply for open work permit from inside or outside Canada

Application Procedure

Application procedure depends mainly on the type of work permit. Possible options are:

Applying online from outside Canada

Applying by paper from outside Canada

Applying online from inside Canada

Applying by paper from inside Canada

Applying at the port of entry (land border-crossing or airport)

These options are not available for all work permit types. We try to find the fastest and safest option to get your work permit.

Application fee

On-campus work: Free. Work permit is not required.Co-op / internship work permit: Free. Work permit is required.Other types of work permit: $155

Our consultation fee

Hourly consultation fee: $60 for each 20 min

Full representation: From $400-$2,000 depending on the type of work permit

Contact us to book an appointment

You can contact Rostin Canada Immigration Services by phone, email or via web contact form below:

PHONE

EMAIL

Vancouver

(604) 358-1245

info@rostin.ca

Toronto

(437) 888-4353

Tehran

(021) 460-93250

Web contact form

Your Name (required)

Your Email (required)

Subject

Your Message

Updated on:
March 9, 2014. Not considered legal advice. Subject to change without notice.